Comments

Anderson

I'll take that Iowa air and water any day, ColB. before those of such fouled up places as LA, Chicago or NYC, maybe even those of Portland given its subjection to the brunt of air and sea polution coming from those paragons of environmental virtue in the Far East. Recalling Iowa when I was mucking out after cattle, hogs and chickens - not to mention glorying in the utility of a Sears and Roebuck catalogue - believe me things have improved immeasurably. But it's all so much more concentrated - and controllable - now.

Colonelbanters

Yeah, it does seem that the current taxation puts Iowa at a competitive disadvantage when recruiting employers but, I still contend that all things being equal, people would nearly choose Iowa last to move to simply because they don't seem to want to sensibly tackle social & environmental issues like other states are doing. This is much more important to a larger number of Americans than I think many leaders in Iowa realize yet.

Anderson

As you well know, ColB, it's a bipartisan problem, for Iowa has continued to loose population regardless of the party in power. Iowa has everything going for it except a business-friendly economic climate of which taxes was the most important factor. Iowa came in dead last as a possible new business location among the thousands of firms I surveyed for the Business development office of one of our fastest growing states. Vilsack, Culver Harkin and AFSCME are no more aware of the facts of business life in Iowa than are Branstad, Grassley and the Farm Bureau.

Colonelbanters

Not to mention relatively low-paying jobs and few amenities compared to other regions of the country. If I'm skilled and can make $70,000/year in Iowa or Texas, I won't have to ponder that one long-it would be Texas all the way. The sad part is that a skilled person would make that in Texas and half that in Iowa while the cost of living in Iowa has equaled the costs of living elsewhere in many regards. Gov. Branstad needs to urge higher pay instead of promising corporations state-paid labor. What's the next great innovation-shackles tying the free labor to each other? These "innovations" sound more like acts of desperation to me. If a state or city is simply an enviable place to live, there will be no shortage of skilled labor seeking it out. Iowa and Branstad have apparently yet to figure that one out while other states boom.

Anderson

Frankly, Iowa has not lacked for skilled workers;, it's jobs that Iowa has lacked, which I why it's greatest export - and gift to other states - has been her ambitious youth. It will remain so until Iowa reforms a tax system that is extremely onerous for businesses and ridiculously generous to land owners.